and speaking of Valentine's Day - ARE YOU AND YOUR DOG ENGAGED???

Whenever I am working with a dog in our training area and open the door, this is my view...
My dogs line up HOPING and PRAYING that it's their turn next!  

    If you've ever seen me work my dogs or anyone else's, you can testify that I have very high expectations for compliance.  I have a very clear, consistent rule: Compliance will get a reward every time and defiance will get a consequence every time.
So how come they don't hate me???  How come they would do ANYTHING for me?

     The answer is simple- it's ENGAGEMENT!  The first lesson I teach any dog is to engage me- make eye contact- ask me "WHAT???" 
 I'm not into intimidation or threats.  It's just a simple rule:  Good things come from making an effort to understand and communicate with me.

Lesson #1 with an 8 week old puppy begins with engagement.  Sure Pup, you are allowed to wander off and sniff things, but.... LOOK WHAT I HAVE!!!!!  (ball!  treats!  excitement!)
Any time the puppy interacts with me, even if it's a quick drive by, I praise them.  I'm silent when they don't want to be around me.  I won't beg for their attention.  But I will REWARD the heck out of it.

Next step is the Name Game.  It's simple.  Say the dog's name and if he makes any effort to look your way, you reward it.  I toss a treat or ball and go crazy every time the dog responds to his name.  No commands are given.  I don't make him "Come here" for reward.  I don't make him "Sit."  All I ask is to look at me and throw reward at him.  SIMPLE, huh?

Why?  Because communication begins with eye contact!  If we don't look, we don't acknowledge.  We don't respond.  If you have teenagers, you already understand.  
I advance and graduate the game by making finding my eyes more challenging.  Sitting on a five gallon bucket or a swivel chair and turning away from the dog makes it a fun challenge for the dog to come find my eye contact.  
Later, I might add tempting distractions like food or toy on a table and go ballistic when they choose to look to me instead.

This ENGAGEMENT is the basic foundation for every discipline, whether you're training the next world champion dock diver or need the family pupster to stop barking at squirrels.  It all begins with a relationship that is the best thing going.
    I want my dogs to anticipate and hope for a command, because it carries a huge opportunity for reward!
   So, are you and your dog engaged?
 If your answer is "well, yes, if I have a cookie" then that's all you need.  You have a reward system in place, now just be clear and consistent and teach your dog how to earn it.  By ENGAGING!